Secrets Are Best Kept
by NotFlyingWithOtters
Summary: Cuddy gets ditched by Lucas. That's all I'm telling you.
1. Chapter 1

House limped slowly down the corridor of Princeton Plainsboro teaching hospital, his cane tapping rhythmically on the polished floor. He bag knocked gently against the back of his legs as he walked, the assortment of unneeded equipment making a soft clicking sound as it rubbed together. He pushed the glass door of his office open, smiling as he clicked the lights on, grabbing himself a cup of coffee from the side as he did so. The room was empty, so he dropped into his chair behind the computer and rested his trainer-clad feet on the desk. He heard his door open and turned his penetrating gaze to the short brunette that had just walked in.

'House? We need to talk.' House took his feet from the desk and surveyed her over the top of his coffee mug.

'We do? Or do you just wanna talk so I can stare?' The woman slapped him, hard. 'Ouch! What was that for?' House shouted at her, rubbing the side of his face vigorously as a red mark blossomed under his palm.

'House! Lucas found out that I slept with you!' House just stared.

'And…? That was over two months ago! And anyway… why did you tell him? I don't see it of gross importance.'

'We were having a bonding session! As in: tell me the stupid things you've done. I won't mind. He minded!' House let out a low chuckle. 'It's not funny. This was us trying to make up after having a fight. Now he hates me!'

'I can see the logic behind that. No Cuddy wait!' He called after her as she made to storm out. He scrambled to his feet and lunged for her arm, his fingertips momentarily brushing her jacket.

'House. If Lucas ditches me, I swear you will be the first person to know.'

'It was hardly all my fault! You were drunk! And why should it matter anyway? If Lucas loves you the way he says he does he won't care!'

'That's the point House! He does care!'

'Then he can't love you as much as he says!' Cuddy glared at him and stalked out, ignoring House's mingled insults and pleas from behind her. House grimaced and dropped into the chair, letting out a strangled groan and resting his head in his hands.

'Damn it.' He muttered, mentally cursing himself for not being more tactful with the woman he harboured a secret, or not so, attraction for.

**-----X-----**

Cuddy slumped into her chair and sighed vocally, letting it ring out in the still air of her office. Tears trickled as slowly as oil down her face, their final destination the sleeve of her soft red jumper or the hem of her black skirt. She picked up the photo from her desk and slid it from the frame with trembling fingers. Tears dropped onto the glossy surface, beading and sliding down it as she trembled with sobs. She gently flipped her phone open, dialling his number from memory.

'Lucas?' her voice quavered, and she strengthened it, forcing the quaver away.

'Lisa… I told you. It's over between us. You betrayed my trust and I can't forgive you I'm sorry.'

'Lucas please… it was a stupid mistake!'

'Lisa. It's over.' The dial tone sounded, burring in her ear as her vision clouded over again. She coughed once, for the fourth week in a row the cough burned her throat and she reached for a tissue, holding it up to her mouth, wincing as she looked at it, red blemishes on the creamy white expanse. She sat in the chair, her unruly curls hanging lank where she'd pulled them in her distress. She reached for the phone, tempted to phone that ass House, or Lucas, to give it one more try. She decided to do neither. Weighing the phone in one hand, she chucked it as hard as she could towards the door, smashing against the wooden fame and breaking on impact. Wearily, she stood up and walked to the broken phone, kneeling down and sweeping the broken phone into one hand and dispensing it in her bag. She stood slowly, coughing again, the jerking causing tears to leak from her eyes like before. She pushed open her door as a spasm of coughing gripped her, forcing her to double over and clutch her chest. She pulled a tissue from her pocket and held it over her mouth, crying out as she saw the specks of blood on it.

**-----X-----**

House sat on the sofa, a warm mug of his favourite coffee in his hand. He took a deep breath and inhaled the strong scent, feeling the warmth of it through the thick ceramic of the cup. He took a gulp of it and swallowed, feeling it run all the way down his throat. He was about to settle down when the doorbell rang.

'Coming. Coming!' He shouted, placing the mug on the floor and standing, limping towards the door. He opened it wide and saw Cuddy standing in the hall, her eyes puffy and red-rimmed from crying. 'Cuddy…? What are you doing here?' He asked, caught off guard and worried at how sad she looked.

'You son of a bitch.' She whispered, venom in every word. 'Like you don't know!' tears were welling in her eyes as she spoke, dropping unheeded to the floor. It suddenly hit him.

'Oh Cuddy…' he whispered, reaching out to her as she stood, so small and defeated in front of him.

'You stay away from me. This is your fault!' She sobbed, her head aching and her vision blurring, though not from tears.

'Cuddy…' He reached out a hand and pulled her roughly to his chest. She didn't fight him, but sobbed against his chest, turning his pale grey tee black. She felt a coughing fit coming on and broke away from him, running to the bathroom. 'Cuddy? Are you okay?' He called, but she had already vanished behind closed doors.

**-----X-----**

Cuddy felt the bile rise in her throat and coughed, bringing up stomach acid and bloodied phlegm. She felt another shudder run through her and retched again, bringing up nothing. She wiped her mouth with a trembling hand, standing on shaky legs. She ran the sink, filling it up with cool water that soothed her aching head and feverish skin. She unplugged it, letting the water rush away and felt a spasm of coughing take hold of her again, forcing her to grip the edge of the porcelain sink tightly to stop herself falling to the floor. She coughed until her throat was raw and the sink was speckled with blood. She could hear House outside and was thankful that she hadn't locked the door.

'Cuddy…? Are you okay?' She couldn't reply, the cough had a hold over her. He heard the knock on the door, but was unable to open it, hoping House would just get the hint already. 'Cuddy? Please answer me! Cuddy?' She hung onto the sink; the room spinning and heard the door click as it opened. 'Cuddy! Is that blood? You need a doctor.' She let go of the sink and crumpled to the ground as she began to seize.

**Rawr what did you think? :)**


	2. Chapter 2

'Team! We have a case!' House shouted, tossing the slim blue files on the table and uncapping a black pen.

'I thought Cuddy gave us cases?' Thirteen said, her brow wrinkling slightly as she processed the latest information.

'She can't. Now ideas!' House hurried them on, writing the list of symptoms Cuddy had already exhibited at his house. Foreman flipped over the file and checked the name.

'House… are you screwing with us again?' He asked uncertainly, her brow knotting as he tried to figure out what was happening.

'Me? Screw with you?' he replied innocently, still scrawling on the board.

'House… what is going on? Cuddy's file?' Chase asked him, pushing his floppy hair out of his face and reading the file again.

'Yes Cuddy's file. No I'm not screwing with you. Shoot!' He capped the pen again and leaned against the chair, staring intently at the people in front of him. 'Well?' They looked blankly at him. 'Come on!' Taub flicked through the file and sighed heavily.

'With a list of symptoms like that there are several things it could be.'

'Tell me something I don't know.' Muttered House, quickly losing patience with the younger diagnostician.

'Sorry. Cancer fits.' House felt a part of him die.

'Cancer… do a bone marrow biopsy.' He looked at his team for a final time and walked out, heading as far away from them as he could. He heard the sound of high-heeled shoes behind him and turned, seeing the only woman on his team standing behind him.

'Thirteen.' He nodded and kept walking.

'House wait. If she's coughing up blood do a chest x-ray. It might not be cancer.'

'Then do both.' He said shortly, turning on his heel and walking to the elevator.

'Fine.' She turned, heading towards Cuddy's room as fast as she could.

**-----X-----**

'Cuddy…?' House asked hesitantly, pushing open the plate glass door with the flat of his hand and stepping inside, turning to face the still form on the bed.

'House.' Her voice was curt, short.

'Seeing as you're my patient now… I was uh… wondering if we could call a truce. Until you're better that is…' He trailed off, realising how feeble he sounded. Cuddy made no sound, or movement to indicate she'd heard him. 'Cuddy?'

'Fine. You already have what you want.' House was baffled.

'What do you mean?'

'Lucas has ditched me. You can screw with me as much as you like.' Tears were forming in her eyes.

'Cuddy I never wanted this! I swear!'

'Don't lie to me you son of a whore! You've wanted this ever since me and Lucas got together. Well now you have what you want.' House wanted to shake her, to make her see that this time he wasn't screwing with her but he doubted she'd care.

'Okay… but I need to do a history anyway. So Cuddy…'

**-----X-----**

Remy Hadley, A.K.A. Thirteen, paused by the door of the Dean Of Medicine's hospital room, her heart racing slightly as she read the history taken by House. She pushed the door open with the welcoming sound of brushes hissing softly against the floor and entered, her white coat nearly tripping her. _So much for professionalism. _She thought bitterly, straightening up again.

'Cuddy… I'm taking you for an x-ray.' She told Cuddy as she handed her a clipboard and a pen. 'Sign-'

'I know where to sign. I have done one of these before.' Cuddy snapped, taking the clipboard from the young Doctor's hand. Thirteen paused as Cuddy signed, the beeping of the cardiac monitor and the scratch of the pen the only sounds in the room. Suddenly, the cardiac monitor sped up, beeping incessantly in time with Cuddy's heart.

'Cuddy?' Thirteen asked, rushing to the Dean's side and wrenching out her stethoscope, placing it on Cuddy's exposed chest. 'That is not good.' She muttered, hearing the heartbeat speed up and flicker. 'Need a crash cart in here!' She shouted, pressing the emergency button and grimacing. 'Hold on Cuddy.' She muttered, scrabbling for a pulse. The cardiac monitor screamed, making her nerves feel as if on a piano wire about to break. Breathing through her teeth, she tried to restrain her boss as the older woman started to seize. 'Shit! Shit! No Cuddy stay with me! Hold on…' She hissed, holding the flailing limbs down with all her strength. The crash cart appeared just as the monitor flat lined. 'That is so not good.' She murmured, jumping backwards as they started to charge the defibrillation paddles.

'Charging, clear!' They yelled and shocked Cuddy, her chest rising as the shock passed through her.

'Charging, clear!' Thirteen shrank back against a wall as she watched the older woman's life drain away.

'Charging, clear!' They shocked her again, the shock passing through the brunette's body causing spasms in her muscles.

'Call it…' The orderly said sadly, checking his watch.

'No!' She heard House's familiar voice ring out. 'One more chance!' The orderlies looked at each other and applied a little more conducting gel to the paddles.

'Charging, clear!' Thirteen and House watched with baited breath as the shock coursed through their colleague. 'I'm sorry… we have to call it…'

'No!' House shouted, grabbing the paddles and cranking it up until it was at the highest voltage.

'Someone stop him!' The orderly shouted, glancing at Thirteen, who just shook her head sadly.

'Charging, clear!' House called, applying the paddles one final, desperate time to Cuddy's chest.

'I got something!' Thirteen shouted. 'There's definitely something there.' House sighed in relief.

'Now what caused that?'

**You like?**


	3. Chapter 3

'It has to be cancer, there's nothing else it can be.' Foreman said softly, flinching away from House's tortured face as though expecting a blow.

'There's always something else!' the stressed diagnostician shouted, shattering the hushed atmosphere from before. Wilson, who had been skulking behind the team, placed a hand on his friends arm comfortingly.

'Not always.' He said softly, knowing exactly how House felt.

'Promise me Wilson… promise me you'll do whatever you can for her.' House asked him, just short of begging, uncaring what everyone thought of him right now.

'I promise. But it could be something else…' He trailed off as Chase went to speak.

'Wilson's right House, we need to do a bone-marrow biopsy to be sure.' The young Australian said quickly, hoping it would improve his bosses' mood. House nodded curtly and limped briskly away, heading towards the nearest bar. He heard Thirteen behind her and he ignored her, his mind already on a cool glass of beer. He felt a feminine hand grasp his sleeve and he turned, anger etched clearly on his features; blue eyes blazing.

'What do you want?' He asked, venom in every word.

'House, you can't self-destruct because someone you screw with might be sick. You seriously need to focus for her! She's your boss, and maybe you like her more than you should and maybe she's just your friend - not that you have many of those, but you need to keep focussed. You can't be focussed drunk out of your head!' She snapped, staring into his eyes, making him understand what she was saying.

'I know… I'm sorry but I can't cope with this! I'm used to it being someone I've never met and never will again. You know what I was like with Amber! I just can't do it!' Thirteen stared at him, willing him to understand.

'You have to. For her.' She said softly, her eyes brimming. 'If you care about her.' She turned and walked swiftly away, brushing her eyes with a tissue and smiling – she knew being able to cry on demand would come in helpful somewhere.

**oOo**

House walked apprehensively into Cuddy's hospital room, ignoring the nagging voice in his head that begged for a glass of whisky or some beer. He quashed the cravings and slid the door open, instinctively looking to the floor.

'House?' Her voice was choked, husky.

'Cuddy…' He looked up at her, her small form frail under the hospital sheets.

'What's happening to me?' She asked, her voice clogged with unshed tears that threatened to fall.

'We don't… know…' He said softly, breathing out through his teeth.

'House!' She used the tone of voice that always got through to him, even clogged and hard to recognise.

'Cancer…' He whispered, watching her break down.

'C-c-can-can-cancer? Are you s-sure?' She stammered, her fingers instinctively tightening on the rough blankets.

'No… we're doing a bone-marrow biopsy to be sure. You need to sign this form.' He handed her a blue clipboard, pretending not to notice the shake in her hand as she signed, nor the shaky signature that was the result of repressed sobs. He took the clipboard from her, gasping as he felt her grab his hand.

'House?' She whispered. 'I'm… I'm scared.' Her voice was quiet, hysterical. House took her hand and squeezed it softly.

'I'm scared for you… Don't make it worse.' He whispered, feeling the gentle pressure she exerted on his hand. Taub ruined the moment by poking his head around the door.

'We need to go.' He said quickly, walking forwards, dragging a wheelchair behind him.

**Sorry it's been so long and it's so short. I will aim to do a longer chapter next time, promise!**


End file.
